Dr. Stefano Vignudelli (CNR) has been invited to attend the strategic workshop on Ocean Surface Topography constellation jointly organized by NOAA (US) and Eumetsat (EU) at Ruedesheim an Rhein (Frankfurt, Germany) during 29-31 January. 

The recent Symposium on 15 Years of Progress in Altimetry developed a number of consensus recommendations concerning the transition of satellite altimetry into a sustainable global system capable of supporting the emerging capabilities in, and growing importance of, operational oceanography and climate monitoring.  EUMETSAT and NOAA – as operational agencies and in their capacity as co-chairs of the CEOS Ocean Surface Topography Constellation – are seeking guidance and advice from the broad community concerning the formulation of a consensus response to these recommendations that could serve to guide international efforts toward achieving systematic and sustained satellite altimetry over the next 15 years.   

This workshop seeks to formulate a strategy for establishing and strengthening international collaboration in satellite altimetry from the present out to ~2022.  Many altimetry missions have previously been conceived and developed as single-shot missions.  While these are required for scientific and technical demonstrations and experiments, this approach prevents a transition to systematic and coordinated measurements within an operational system framework. A robust and sustained – or operational – system requires a series of coordinated missions to ensure continuity of observations, as well as the future transition of new technical capabilities into the operational system.  And if planning for such a system were done in the context of an overall strategic framework, the greater community would realize a capability in satellite altimetry where the result is greater than the sum of its individual parts.      

A consensus report will be produced summarising: 

1) Prioritized needs and associated observational requirements for satellite altimetry,

2) Review of present systems, as well as those under development, and how well they satisfy those requirements, 

3) Recommendations for improvement of the present systems,  

4) Assessment of options for potential future systems, with pros and cons, as well as ways to optimize that system 

5) Review of the requirements for ensuring seamless operational transition between conventional altimetry and future technologies 

6) Recommendations for the minimum configuration of a future operational system that satisfies the operational and science requirements. 

The agenda of the workshop can be found here